Pets in Paradise prides itself on grooming expertise

September 18, 2019

Justin Greene, though, outgrew his home-based pet grooming business and he's moved into the Marinatown area, where Pets in Paradise has become a go-to place for pet owners who not only just want their dog clean, but well-groomed for dog shows.

Pets in Paradise, at 3351 Marinatown Lane, No. 100, has used unique methods to make its business not only a success, but also allowed it to become the "Best Of" pet groomer in North Fort Myers, according to a North Fort Myers Neighbor reader's poll.

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Justin Greene, with his “shop cat,” Papaya, at Pets in Paradise at 3351 Marinatown Lane.

CHUCK BALLARO

Pets in Paradise started about four years ago after Greene moved to the area from the Kansas City area. He didn't know anybody, but noticed a lot of people walked their dogs in the neighborhood.

Greene started making friends fast. And soon, grooming became his thing. Word got around that he did really good work, especially with the show dogs.

"We didn't want to offend the neighbors, so we moved here. I had a friend who groomed dogs where I was from and I learned from watching," Greene said. "We are animal people in our family and I always groomed and worked with animals."

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The dog show people have trusted Greene as their go-to person, and they will come from all over the state for his work. One even comes from Miami to have her dog done, he said.

Grooming is Pets in Paradise's bread and butter. They cater to not only the show poodles but mixed-breed pooches and even cats, which many salons won't touch.

Greene runs a laid-back shop and knows nearly everyone on a first-name basis. Most have become friends, resulting in lots of clientele that come year-round. Family and friends help out.

"We're basically grooming for lots of friends at this point. They all come in and catch up with us," Greene said. "They have a good time with us."

Pets in Paradise also does boarding and "Doggy Daycare" for pet owners who work or want to go on vacation. Greene said his place is a great place to keep pets. Just ask Papaya, the "shop cat" who lives in the office.

"We let them feel like they're at home. It's a comfortable environment for animals. They get to run around and relax," Greene said. "The animals see another associating with others and they take comfort. A good shop cat knows its way around."

Another twist is their days of operation, open Friday through Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., though Greene runs on what he calls the "island clock," meaning its five o'clock somewhere.

But being open on the weekend gives working people a chance to clean their dogs, and indeed, Greene said the weekend is the busiest, as he doesn't see the point in people taking off from work to have their dogs groomed.